Chapter 7-11 Active Reading Blog

In chapter 7 the book focuses on the origin of the colonel's flashback. He and his friend Colonel Gerineldo Márquez face the firing squad and face near certain doom. But at the last second by Jose Arcadio who aims his shotgun at the captian of the firing squad. Immediately after he is set free Colonel Aureliano Buendía launches a series of uprisings against the conservative party but is plagued by falure like his father. After many failed attempts the liberal party disowns the colonel but he is able to retake Macondo as a consolation. He eventually assumes command of Liberal forces but realizes that he is no longer fighting for his ideals, but for his own pride. Chapter 8 focouses on the odd relationship between Aureliano José and his aunt Amaranta.



After a breif period of intamacy Amaranta ends her relationship with her nephew and he leaves with his father on yet another military campaign. He desserts the army and returns only to be shot by a conservative soldier who was looking to kill his father. Shortly after Macondo is visited by Colonel Aureliano Buendía's 17 sons and then by the Colonel himself. With the arrival of Colonel Aureliano Buendía and the Liberal army the Conservatives are removed including the Colonel's friend and mayor of his hometown, José Raquél Moncada. He is shot via firing squad.



In chapter 9 Colonel Aureliano Buendía begins to forget how life was like when he was young, and before he entered the war. He eventually begins to fight against his own forces, the Liberal army, in order to end the war quickly. After ending the war the by making peace with the Conservatives he tries to shoot himself in the heart. He is unsuccessful and returns to Macondo to make little goldfish.

Peace returns to Macondo and the story shifts to the life of Aureliano Segundo and his twin brother José Arcadio Segundo. Because they look alike, Aureliano and his brother decieve their family and community by exchanging identities, even to the point of sleeping with the same confused woman. Aureliano Segundo tends to isolate himself like his father, spending long amounts of time in Melquíades's room, and even seeing the shade of the gypsi himself. His brother José Arcadio is more like his uncle, who seeks adventure. Aureliano Segundo becomes extremely wealthy because he animals are exteremly furtile. He believes that his intimate reations with Petra Cotes is causing the prosperity. He throws many parties, sponsors his brothers wild ambitions and even marries while still sleeping with Petra Cotes.